Fig. 3.

PrP^CWD detection in elk fetal and dam tissues following seven versus five rounds (R#) of sPMCA. Representative Western blots for detection of PrP^CWD in elk fetal umbilicus (Sample 1), fetal intestine (Sample 4) and dam uterus (Samples 15 and 22) following seven rounds of sPMCA. PrP^CWD was not detected in these tissues after five rounds of sPMCA. sPMCA controls (–C and +C) showed complete proteinase K (PK) digestion of negative elk brain homogenate (–C) and proteinase K-resistant PrP^CWD in E2 CWD-positive elk brain homogenate (+C) (10 % homogenates, undiluted, round 7). Western blot controls (no sPMCA) showed complete proteinase K digestion of PrP in a negative white-tailed deer brain homogenate and PrP^CWD signal post-proteinase K digestion in a CWD-positive white-tailed deer brain homogenate (10 % homogenate, undiluted, no sPMCA).